Afternoon Read: Is Romney Actually Leading in Virginia?

Receive the latest first-read-dmv updates in your inbox

A new poll from We Ask America shows Mitt Romney leading Barack Obama in the swing-state of Virginia 48 percent to 43 percent.

This is the first poll that has shown Romney leading Obama in the state.

The poll surveyed 1,106 likely voters.

In the Virginia Senate race, the poll found George Allen leading Tim Kaine 44 percent to 35 percent with 21 percent of voters undecided.

Real Clear Politics has a chart showing all the recent polls and their often different results. This latest We Ask America poll diverges significantly from recent poll results, which generally show Obama and Kaine with slight leads.

Romney has been making headway in closing Obama’s lead, but it is still unclear if this poll is a blip or actually reflective of the candidates’ current standings.

The discrepancy could be explained by the polling firm's house effect — a recent study by the New York Times's Nate Silver found We Ask America generally leaned Republican in its polls — or represent a shift in momentum for Romney.

Business Insiderasked the pollster, who said Romney’s surge could be attributed to his gaining ground among women and independents.

Romney is polling strong with self-described Independents, and he's gaining ground among women. Romney is leading Obama among Independents by 9 points, We Ask America COO Greg Durham told Business Insider. He's also "dead even" with women while holding a double-digit advantage among men, Durham said.

* The UVA Board of Visitors unanimously voted to reinstate President Teresa Sullivan. Stay with NBCWashington.com and News4 for developments on this story.

* The D.C. Council gave preliminary approval to grant the online coupon company LivingSocial $32.5 million worth of tax breaks to ensure that it keeps its headquarters in D.C.

According to LooseLips, At-Large Council member Michael Brown said the tax breaks would “send a message” to the rest of the country that the District has gone from being a non-friendly place to businesses to a welcoming place.

* Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) is blocking a confirmation vote for a District of Columbia Superior Court judge—a nomination that has already been stalled nearly a year, according to The Blog Legal Times.

On the Senate floor Monday night, Sen. Joe Lieberman asked for an up-or-down full Senate vote on Donna Murphy’s nomination, saying there is “no rational reason” to keep delaying the vote.

But, the Legal Times reports, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell objected to the vote on the basis that DeMint “has some concerns about the nomination."

It is still unclear what DeMint’s concerns are but the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved the nomination in June 2011.

* Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) proposed a number of amendments to a bill that would give D.C. budget autonomy, according to The Washington Post.

His proposed amendments would change District laws on guns, abortions and labor unions

Sponsored by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, the bill, which is scheduled for markup tomorrow morning, would let D.C. spend its own money once the mayor and D.C. Council have agreed on a budget, without waiting for Congress’ approval, The Post reports.

Paul’s proposed amendments could complicate the passage of the bill and prompt supporters of D.C. budget autonomy to ask Lieberman to pull the bill.

* Rob Krupicka of Alexandria, Va., officially announced Tuesday his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in the 45th House of Delegates District.

“I am running for the House of Delegates to ensure that we continue to have a progressive voice in Richmond. My experience means that I will be ready to hit the ground running on day one. With two girls in school, and as a member of the State Board of Education, I will make our children’s education my top priority. As I’ve done for the last ten years, I will work for smart environmental and transportation solutions that create jobs and conserve our natural resources, and I will fight against the right-wing extremism that has rolled back women’s rights and true equality for every Virginian. We can’t move our state forward when others are trying to tear us apart."